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 CrusaderPi
Messages: 8140
Registered: December 2003
Location: Downtown Edmonton
6 Cups
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I'm not a sky is falling kind of guy either. Mostly because I don't think the sky exists for the Oilers. Their ceiling remains exactly where it has always been. I'm very happy with how I twisted that metaphor in case you're wondering.
I agree with Ham's first E points.
I think points F & G is part of a Faustian bargain the Oilers have made with themselves. McDavid and Draisaitl get to inflate numbers so they stay happy while the Oilers hope this mentality goes away at playoff time. I actually thought this had peaked when McDavid hit 100 points during the bubble season, but then Matthews got 60 goals and a Hart and, well, here we are. I can't imagine where the Oilers would be if McDavid had to play defense and the team still couldn't compete. I shudder to think. Because I don't think McDavid choosing to score less solves the problems with points A & B. This all also contributes to point I because the leaders are allowed to set the standard and the depth is allowed to wait around for goals to be scored. This is the same as point C in my opinion.
Point H is kind of funny. Puljujarvi leads the team in hits while newcomer Kostin is third. Desharnais incidentally doesn't hit. It's pretty clear this team isn't going to win by hard grinding and banging. If you look at hits / game the Oilers have sent 3 of their top 8 hitters down (Niemo, Malone, Holloway) and frequently bench two other top eighters (Puljujarvi, Foegele). Kane, Ceci, and Kostin are the others in the top 8, if you're interested.
To me, this makes the problem pretty obvious. Management. They don't know what they want this team to be and they don't know how to build a winner. I also think it's pretty clear management is meddling in day to day coaching decisions. I'd have that as point K on your list. What in the fresh heck has happened to Woodcroft? Cottoncroft?
[Updated on: Tue, 21 February 2023 10:54]
Please do not feed the bears. Feeding the bears creates a dependent population unable to survive on their own. Bears.
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